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Crankbait Tactics for Huge Pre-Spawn Bass
By Steve VonBrandt
One of the most
effective ways to catch huge pre-spawn bass in lakes and rivers
are lipless crankbaits. These baits are especially effective when
the water temperature is between 49 and 58 degrees, especially in
stained or muddy water in lakes, ponds, and rivers. Some of the
techniques outlined below will help you catch bigger bass all over
the country in the early spring starting in March, and peaking in
April.
"TYPES OF BAITS"
There are a variety of lipless crankbaits on the
market that catch bass, but in the spring, in most of the waters
in the Northeast, the "Rat-L-Trap" by Bill Lewis Lures, the
"Rattlin' Rapala," and the "Viva Vibe," are some of the best. All
lipless crankbaits have a different sound. Some are much louder
than others, and will produce when some other quieter baits won't.
At other times, the quieter rattling baits will produce more. You
just have to experiment with several baits until you find the ones
that are producing best in the particular body of water you're
fishing. Sometimes the same baits, in the same size, by the same
company, make slightly different sounds that can be better than
the other.
Experimentation is the only way to find which bait works the best.
Some baits won't run as true at different speeds, and they turn
sideways a little more than others, so you just have to watch them
in the water, and find the best ones. The hooks should always be
changed to a premium hook system such as "Gamakatsu" or "Owner" or
"Eagle Claw" Premium. There are many other great hooks, but I
prefer these. Most of your lipless crankbaits should be used in a
1/4 to 1/2 ounce size, but recently, bigger bass in the Northeast
and in Florida have hit the bigger Slat Water Traps in the 3/4 to
1 ounce sizes.
"COLORS OF BAITS"
The best colors for the spring, especially if you
have a lot of Crawfish in the lake, are red, red/orange, and
brownish/orange. Some have spots on them and these are very
effective. The standard Chrome, and Chrome with a blue back, and
Chrome and Red, have worked especially well for the larger bass.
If the water is extremely stained to muddy, we found that the red,
and the chartreuse/brown combinations work well in this kind of
situation also. If you have a lot of bluegill in the area, and
less crawfish or shad, then the bluegill/Suncracker patterns work
very well. The primary forage in the lakes are the best patterns,
unless you know that many anglers are aware of this, and are using
these colors also. Then switching to unconventional patterns can
fool some of the wary bigger bass.
"TECHNIQUES"
Most people just cast the baits out and reel them
straight in. While this will always catch some bass, there are
more specialized methods that trigger strikes from the bigger
bass. Cast the Rat-L-Traps out, and depending on the depth of the
water, count them down to the level of the fish before starting
the retrieve, and if it is a sandy and/or gravel/rocky type of
bottom, let them sink to the bottom, then slowly raise the tip of
the rod till you feel the lure vibrating, reeling the slack up a
little, then lower the rod tip, and do it again. Many times they
will hit as it is on the bottom, and first starts to be lifted up.
If these techniques don't work in a few hours, use a slight
pumping action of the rod as you reel, keeping contact with the
bait. If it hits a rock, weeds, or other structure, hesitate a
second, and then rip it off quickly, and reel it in with a steady
retrieve. You can also yo-yo the bait similar to a spoon or
spinnerbait in deeper water near points and drop-offs, which can
be extremely effective in colder water or on inactive fish that
are suspended. Most of the time in water below 58 degrees they hit
very mushy, like grass or leaves, but most of the time it is a
bass. As they get close to the boat they will see you and make a
dash for the trolling motor, and down to deeper water, sometimes
even breaking the surface to throw the lure. The bass have to
played very carefully as lipless crankbaits come out of the bass's
mouth much more easily than you might imagine. Most of the bass
will be in the shallower water off the flats, near deeper water,
rip-raps, if available, or any place where there is baitfish and
or cover near the North shore or bay, close to food sources, near
where they are going to spawn.
"EQUIPMENT"
I like to use sinning gear for the smaller 1/4
ounce baits, and I use baitcast gear for the larger 3/4 to 1 1/2
ounce baits. I usually use a 7 foot spinning rod in medium action
so as not to pull the bait from their mouths, usually a S-Glass
rod, or a "G.Loomis cranking rod. In the baitcasters, I use a 7
foot, medium to med/heavy rod, with a high speed reel, but many
people prefer a good reel in a 5:0:1 or 5:3:1 gear ratio. I always
use "Spiderline" super mono in 10-12 pound test, but 8 pound test
is preferred by many. Stren is also a good line for this. Fan cast
the baits in as many directions as possible in the prime areas
such as the mouths of the back bays with creeks, where grasses and
riprap, are on a harder bottom, and you will start picking up some
of these monsters this spring. A good scent on the baits, such
"Yum" in Crawfish scent, can't hurt either. Whether it triggers
more strikes is debatable, but at the very least, it masks any
human scent on your hands.
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